Thanks to advances in gene sequencing technology that have made better, faster, and cheaper exploration of variations in the human genome possible, scientists have spent the last decade in a mad dash to catalogue the genetic variations associated with acute and chronic diseases. But identifying...
Search
Displaying 141 - 160 of 231
Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a test used to assess the flow of blood to the heart muscle in patients with suspected or existing coronary artery disease, the most common form of heart disease. A sophisticated Canadian technology is expected to significantly enhance access to positron...
The next time you stub your toe so hard it becomes red and swollen, consider the fact that you are witnessing one of life’s original defensive manoeuvres. When ancient Earth was populated only by microscopic, single-celled organisms, if one of them preyed upon another the only result was death. But...
In the largest-ever collaborative study of its kind, a team of cardiovascular genetics researchers from around the world have identified 13 new genetic variants associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). This finding more than doubled the number of genetic variants known to impact risk for CAD...
Somewhere between traditional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons sit interventional cardiologists. Like surgeons, interventionists get blood on their gowns in the process of correcting structural problems of the heart, but their approach is more subtle and less invasive. Spending their days in the...
To new cardiac anesthesiology residents, Dr. Jean-Yves Dupuis explains that it may be hard for them to predict the twists and turns their careers might take. “I tell them that the day I finished my internship back in 1979, I swore I would never go back to a university hospital—I wanted to travel the...
In March, Dr. Rob Beanlands was appointed Chief of Cardiology at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. He brings extensive career experience in cardiovascular imaging and a passion for patient-centred care and education to his new position. Dr. Beanlands takes over from Dr. Terrence Ruddy, Chief...
Cardiology experts from Canada and around the world have gathered in Toronto this weekend to attend the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress (CCC), the largest gathering of cardiovascular and allied healthcare professionals in the country. The Congress draws hundreds of speakers highlighting innovations...
Whether it’s watching television, going for a long drive or spending hours in front of a computer, sitting for long periods of time increases your risk for a variety of health problems, even if you get regular exercise. While regular exercise is key to preventing heart disease, obesity and diabetes...
In July, the first patient in a landmark clinical trial received treatment at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. The new ENACT-AMI (Enhanced Angiogenic Cell Therapy—Acute Myocardial Infarction) trial, led by the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, is designed to test whether genetically...
A class of anti-cholesterol drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors has been in the press lately, and for good reason: they can reduce blood cholesterol levels substantially beyond what a statin alone can achieve. Two have made it to market so far for treating coronary artery disease, with more likely to come...
The past decade has seen rapid progress in cataloguing the genetic factors driving heart disease risk. The University of Ottawa Heart Institute led the way, discovering the first and, to date, highest-impact common genetic variant linked to coronary artery disease. Many others have been found since...
Our editorial team is taking a short break for summer. Before we go, we’re sharing some tips to help you get the most out of your face coverings, so that you keep cool and COVID-safe this August. July and August have some of the hottest days of the year in Canada. Hot, humid weather poses...
It was Anne McAllister, a 56-year-old lawyer living in Ottawa who first sparked Dr. David Birnie’s interest in a rare but potentially deadly heart condition just over a decade ago. McAllister was experiencing frequent spells of arrhythmia. Her heart rate changed from rapid to slow without any...
Broadly speaking, Canadians at risk for a heart attack know they need to improve their physical health. But not all do. In a recent study of residents of six Canadian provinces, almost one in five people with the highest cardiac risk did not think they needed to make any lifestyle changes to improve...
There are several inherent differences to the physical make up of a woman’s heart versus that of a man. For starters, a man’s heart is physically larger, weighing up to 60 grams more than a woman’s heart on average. Functionally there are differences, too. Arteries which feed a women’s heart with...
A renowned cardiac surgeon, a champion of innovation, and an experienced and respected administrator, Dr. Thierry Mesana is also a passionate advocate for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. On September 11, the Heart Institute announced his appointment as its third President and CEO, to...
With populations aging in much of the world, the decline of mental capacity in later years is of increasing concern. There has been hope in the medical community that effectively treating high blood pressure and atherosclerosis could slow or delay this decline. In a study of people over the age of...
It has been little more than a decade since researchers categorized the full suite of genes contained in the human body, but this exciting milestone merely opened up an even more challenging frontier. There turns out to be only about 20,000 genes associated with the famous DNA molecule—a sizable...
February is Heart Month, and the federal Minister of Health, the Honourable Jane Philpott, chose to kick it off by coming to the Ottawa Heart Institute to announce $2.9 million in funding for five of its researchers. Heart disease is the second-leading cause of death in Canada. This funding, through...